Humidifier for dwellings



NOV. 29, 1938. I K; D, RAlNBOLT 2,138,709

HUM'IDIFIER FOR DWELLINGS Filed July 21, 1936 INVENTOR.

v Kat'h Er'iTLE i1 Rainb 1211 BY fl ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 29, 1938 ur s'mrss time FATE .OFFICE Application July 21,

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to humidifiers primarily designed for association with heating registers for raising the humidity of the area being heated by such heating devices.

5 The primary object of the invention is to provide a highly efiicient, yet simple and economically constructed humidifier wherein the humidity of the air maybe easily controlled according to the area being heated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a humidifier wherein the air moisteners are so disposed as to have substantial portions thereof disposed parallel to the path of travel of the heated air currents.

A further object is to provide a humidifier unit which will not obstruct passage of the hot air currents, and wherein the moistening members of absorbent material are of strip-like formation and may be readily varied in number for obtaining the desired humidity.

A further object resides in the simple arrangement for retaining the moistening members against displacement.

A still further object is to provide a humidir, fier unit which may be readily positioned in floor registers of hot air heating systems.

A still further object is to provide a humidifier unit which may be applied to registers without detracting from the general appearance thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this speci- J fication and in which drawing:-

Figure l is a vertical section thru a floor register installation provided with the humidifier unit.

Figure 2 is a perspective View showing the parts 40 in disassem led relation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end portion of one of the moistening members or wicks.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the weighting members for attachment to one end of the wicks.

Referring to the drawing in detail and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views in Figures 59 i to 4, they letter A designates a hotair floor register provided with the humidifier unit B.

Referring to the invention as disclosed in Figures i to 4, the floor register A embodies the usual register boX 5 recessed into the floor 6 and connected to a hot air pipe 1 by the collar or 1936, Serial No. 91,791

flange 8. thru the bottom wall of the register box 5 and extends to a hot air furnace or any other suitable form of heater. Disposed over the upper open side of the register box 5 is a grating or grille 9 thru the openings of which hot air currents may pass upwardly for heating purposes.

The humidifier B is adapted to be removably positioned in the register box 5 and embodies a rectangular water pan or container iii of a size to slidably fit within the register box and rest upon the bottom wall of the latter. The container it is formed with a flat bottom wall ii having an outside wall l2 upstanding from the marginal edges of the bottom Wall and being of a height less than the depth of the register box. Provided at the axial center of the water pan l0 and extending upwardly from the bottom wall ii is a sleeve I3 forming a walled opening for aligning with the hot air pipe 7. This sleeve i3 is of a diameter equal to that of the hot air pipe i so as not to obstruct free passage or" the hot air currents, and provides an inside wall for the pan which co-acts with the outside wall l2 to provide a water space M extending entirely about the sleeve. The height of this sleeve or inside wall I3 is slightly less than the height of the outside wall [2 for a purpose to be later described.

Arranged to rest upon the upper open side of the pan i0 is a fiat cover or lid l5 of a size to The hot air pipe 1 opens upwardly have its marginal edges rest upon the upper edges of the outside wall N2 of the pan whereby the lid is spaced slightly above the upper edge of the inside wall or sleeve I 3. Thecover or lid !5 is provided with a large central opening it of a diameter equal to that of the sleeve i3 with which the opening it aligns. lid !5 about the opening it are small openings or perforations I l which, when the lid is in place, are disposed over the water space M. This removable lid l5 serves to prevent any appreciable amount of dirt from falling into the water space of the pan. For filling the pan with water, the grating 9 and the lid 15 are respectively provided with openings 5 and I5 which align one with the other and permit for the insertion of a funnel or the like for filling the pan. These openings 5 and 55 also form finger holds facilitating removal of the grating and lid. The lid or cover 55 when in place, as in Figure 1, is spaced below the grating 9 p m t n the hot air currents to spread laterally over the lid and pass upwardly thru the openings in the grating.

Adapted to be hung over the upper edge of the Provided in the inner wall I 3 is a plurality of independent flat strip-like wicks l8 of absorbent material and the number of wicks used may vary according to the size of the room and the desired humidity. These wicks I8 are hung by their intermediate portions over the upper edge of the inner wall l3 whereby one end of the wicks hangs down into the water contained in the water space M while the other end of the wicks hangs down into the hot air pipe parallel to the path of travel of the hot air currents. Since the length of wick extending downwardly into the hot air passageway is preferably greater than that which extends into the water space, weight means is preferably provided on one end of the wicks which are intended to be submerged in the water so that when the wicks become saturated, due to capillary action, there will be no danger of the longer inner portions of the wicks pulling the wicks out of place. This weighting means is preferably in the form of a bendable sheet metal clip l9 shown in its flat condition in Figure 4 and having prongs 20 along its side edges adapted to bite into the wick when the clip is folded along its longitudinal center over one end of the wick as in Figure 3. By having the inner wall I3 of less height than that of the outer wall l2, when the lid 15 is in place it will not contact and pinch the wicks where they extend over the upper edge of the inner wall and prevent the wicks; from becoming moistened where they extend into the hot air passageway. Since the wicks hang into the hot air passageway around the inner surface of the inside wall 13 of the pan and parallel to the path of travel of the air currents, they do not obstruct the hot air passageway and ofier no resistance to the flow of hot air. Due to the perforations in the lid l5 the water is permitted to evaporate from the water space HS in addition to evaporation from the wicks l8.

of the humidity of the air by varying the number of wicks according to the degree of heat given off by the heater.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In combination with a floor register including a register box having a hot air passageway in its bottom wall; a pan snugly fitting in the register box having an inner wall providing a walled opening aligning with said passageway and an outer wall forming a continuous water space about the inner wall, said inner wall being of less height than the outer wall, a removable perforated cover resting on said outer Wall and providing a cover for the water space, a plurality of wicks hung by their intermediate portions over the upper edge of the inner wall, and a grille over the register box in spaced relation above said cover.

KATHERINE D. RAIN'BOLT. 

